It's been six days since Apple took the wraps off the highly anticipated 5G-enabled iPhone 13 quartet and three days since said quartet went up for pre-order in a number of key global markets, so naturally, it's time for the first expert analysis of early demand and mid to long-term sales prediction.
While we can't say the Cupertino-based tech giant radically redesigned or drastically upgraded its iPhone 12 family in many important areas, it's also not very surprising to hear that the four new handsets are outselling their late 2020-released predecessors.
The iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max are (unsurprisingly) in very high demand
According to none other than Ming-Chi Kuo, who remains one of the most highly trusted Apple leakers and pundits out there even after failing to anticipate this year's Watch Series 7 design, iPhone 13 pre-orders have so far been "higher than those for the iPhone 12 series."
We're obviously talking about the iPhone 13 roster on the whole rather than just the non-Pro 6.1-inch variant or any of the other individual models, and while Kuo is not ready to get very specific about sales numbers yet, said rise in pre-order demand is described as largely "in line with market expectations."
Both the market and Apple itself reportedly expected the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max to prove more popular than last year's 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max, and apparently, that prediction was right on the money (both literally and figuratively).
That's great news for folks who may have feared a repeat of 2020's Pro delays, as Apple was much better equipped straight off the bat to handle the 45 to 50 percent proportion of all iPhone 13 series orders going to the higher-end models.
That's up from the 35 to 40 percent of early iPhone 12 series shipments accounted by the Pro and Pro Max, and while the 13 Pro duo is currently delayed a little, Apple's supply and demand should align rather neatly at some point in November.
Is the iPhone 14 worth waiting?
The aforementioned numbers leave a combined proportion of between 50 and 55 percent of pre-orders going to the iPhone 13 and 13 mini, which might suggest this year's diminutive model will prove even less successful than its 5.4-inch forerunner.
It's hard to imagine how something like that could be possible, but then again, it's also hard to imagine there being a lot of excitement around a device unlikely to ever get a sequel.
Speaking of, it will certainly be interesting to see how next year's completely reimagined and overhauled iPhone 14 lineup could further improve on the already solid-sounding figures of the iPhone 13 quartet.
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The iPhone 14 is expected to look nothing like its forerunners
All in all, global iPhone shipments are projected to grow by 16 percent year-on-year in 2021, a number whose main contributors could include the four new iOS handsets, as well as Huawei's big worldwide struggles and Samsung's smaller but still significant issues in many markets and segments of the mobile industry.
The iPhone 14, remember, is likely to finally ditch the unfashionable notch in favor of a much trendier hole punch display, although it definitely looks like "iFans" will have to wait another year for under-display Touch ID fingerprint recognition technology and a foldable design to become commercial reality.
Of course, there will always be something big in the works one, two, or three years down the line, so instead of endlessly (and pointlessly) waiting for the perfect phone to arrive, you should probably just "settle" for one of the best phones available this holiday season, a list undoubtedly set to include at least a couple of iPhone 13 models after we get a chance to rigorously review them all.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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